Blue Christmas Service
Wednesday, December 17 at 7:00 PM
Saint James United Methodist Church
Parking and entrance to use (with an elevator): 29 Pearl Street, Kingston, NY
Welcome, friends. The holiday season can be hard for some of us as we struggle to be “merry” when we don’t actually feel merry and bright. We are not alone. Sorrow is a part of being human, it is part of the human story and the divine story. We are never alone. The Holy Comforter is with us.
We might be feeling low because of a loss–of loved ones, the loss of relationships or jobs or the loss of a sense of security and safety. All of us experience loss. It is in the Holy Darkness that we can see light. Ancient people held vigil on the longest night so that they could witness the dawning of a new day– knowing that each day’s sunlight would remain with them longer and longer in the coming months. This has always been a sign of hope for humanity, no matter the religion or creed. And so we spend a moment this longest night to acknowledge loss and also remember that there is hope. Just simply gathering together is the start of hope for a new day.
Let this be our prayer: Holy and Comforting One, we come before you feeling vulnerable and spent. Our souls weep, and we wonder how we will get through a time when bells ring and gifts are exchanged and the word “merry” surrounds us. We long for the “time before”– before this sorrow came to dwell. Help us to trust in your love. In this season of anticipation, help us to expect that as certain as the waves of grief are the moments when you will offer us a little peace, and that it is right and good to feel all of it. Be with us. Come to us. Live in us, Emmanuel, God with Us. Amen.
There will be a light snack after the service, to allow for people to linger and share.
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